Have you ever taken a virtual tour of a famous building such as this tour of the Alamo? If so, you’ve experienced HBIM (also known as Historic BIM or Heritage BIM). This article will walk you through the concept and explain how architects, engineers, and preservation organizations collaborate to use BIM today!

The Alamo offers a public virtual tour — a familiar example of HBIM in action.

What is HBIM?

HBIM gives architects, engineers, and preservation teams a structured way to document and interpret historic buildings. It brings survey data, archival material, and building analysis into a single environment. This supports restoration planning, long term conservation, and public engagement.

HBIM is rooted in the marriage of BIM tools with historic building preservation.

The term was introduced in 2009 by Murphy, McGovern, and Pavia. Their work described how BIM methods could be adapted to historic structures. This approach blended digital modeling with preservation practice.

Historic buildings often have incomplete records or undocumented alterations. Field conditions may differ from drawings. Data sources can include point clouds, scans, photographs, measured surveys, and archival documents. These formats are difficult to organize without a consistent system.

HBIM provides that structure. It allows teams to consolidate documents, track conditions, and link information to a model or digital tour. It also provides a way to share selected information with collaborators, stakeholders, or the public.

HBIM also supports renovation, maintenance, and conservation work. It uses detailed 3D models enriched with historical context. A well known example is the restoration work on Notre Dame Cathedral that used laser scans captured in 2010. Learn more →

Notre Dame Cathedral restoration relied on laser scans captured in 2010, a landmark HBIM use case.

Other primary use cases of HBIM include:

1. Preservation through Documentation: A project may substantially change a historic structure. The project team may choose to capture and document the existing conditions for archival purposes.

2. Analysis: HBIM is a powerful tool to understand underlying issues (IE. structural or material decay) that cannot be mitigated. This data can allow engineers to plan potential interventions. A good example are the many challenges the Leaning Tower of Pisa faced over the years until it was finally stabilized in the 21st century.

3. Restoration: All major projects start with documentation. Restoration projects are no different. Once information has been archived in a visual manner, the project team can leverage an HBIM environment for planning, visualization, and executing restoration projects within a data-rich context.

4. Management: Preservation societies can use many HBIM platforms such as Layer App to manage ongoing maintenance, management, and protection of heritage assets.

It’s also the best way to experience a building on the other side of the world. For instance, Matterport hosts numerous historic building walkthroughs you can view for free!

How is an HBIM environment created?

3D HBIM model of a historic castle, built from scans and archival data.

For architects and engineers that work on renovation projects, much of the HBIM methodology will be familiar:

1. Data Collection

The first part of the project will typically be data collection. Technicians will use technology to take detailed digital surveys where photos (photogrammetry) or a point cloud (laser scanning) are captured to capture the precise condition of a structure.

2. Model (or Matterport) Creation

After the data has been captured, it will be processed into a model or digital tour in some type of BIM software. A larger, more intricate structure will take more time to document than a smaller or simpler one. Depending on how the data was captured, it may be turned into a Revit Model, or a 3D Tour in Matterport.

3. Integration & Viewer

The model or tour will then be uploaded to a tool such as Layer App which has a viewer and file management capabilities. At this point, preservationists can start uploading historical documentation to the system then share views with the public.

Castle HBIM model with linked historical documents and conditions data layered onto the geometry.

4. Historical Layering

Preservationists and archivists will have an underlying plan for how visitors will view historic data. A structure may have different interior furnishings over the years. Historic photos, letters, and other material of interest can be uploaded to the database for viewers to learn and interact with.

5. Material Analysis

HBIM models may capture additional data such as material types or current conditions. This helps in understanding decay patterns and planning restoration work and preventative maintenance. You can use an HBIM system to show these as heat maps, points of interest, or other notes in your database.

6. View Access, the “Grand Opening”

Once all of the data has been loaded it’s time to put it to work. Beyond internal preservation and documentation uses, the general public is given access to view the structure over time, learn more about the preservation process, and increase awareness for fundraising purposes.

Why HBIM Matters

HBIM brings the rigor of BIM to historic buildings, where incomplete records, undocumented renovations, and varied source material make documentation difficult. A structured HBIM environment lets teams consolidate point clouds, photos, scans, drawings, and archival documents in one model, making restoration planning and long-term conservation more feasible.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is HBIM?

HBIM stands for Historic BIM or Heritage BIM. It is the application of Building Information Modeling methods to historic buildings. The term was introduced in 2009 by Murphy, McGovern, and Pavia to describe how BIM workflows could be adapted to support preservation, restoration, and public engagement with heritage structures.

How is HBIM different from regular BIM?

Standard BIM models a building from design intent forward. HBIM works backward, capturing existing historic conditions through laser scans, photogrammetry, and archival research, then building a model that reflects what already exists. HBIM models also incorporate historical context like archival photos, letters, and material analysis.

What are the typical use cases for HBIM?

Four main use cases: preservation through documentation (capturing existing conditions before changes), analysis (understanding decay, structural issues, or material problems), restoration (planning and executing restoration work), and management (ongoing maintenance and protection of heritage assets).

What technologies are used to capture data for HBIM?

The two most common are photogrammetry (using photos to reconstruct geometry) and laser scanning (using LiDAR to capture point clouds). Each produces a different kind of data set. Larger or more detailed buildings typically use a combination of both, plus measured surveys, drone imagery, and archival research.

How is an HBIM environment created?

The typical workflow has six steps: data collection (laser scans, photogrammetry, surveys), model or tour creation in BIM software, integration into a viewer or database, historical layering with archival material, material analysis, and view access for internal teams or the public.

What was HBIM’s role in the Notre Dame restoration?

The restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral after the 2019 fire relied heavily on laser scans of the building captured in 2010 by historian Andrew Tallon. Those scans provided precise documentation of the structure that informed structural decisions, ornamental detail recreation, and overall restoration planning.

Can HBIM models be shared with the public?

Yes. Many HBIM environments include public-facing views or virtual tours. Examples include the Alamo, numerous Matterport historic walkthroughs, and museum-led HBIM projects. Public access supports fundraising, education, and tourism for heritage sites.

Further Resources

• An Introduction to Adaptive Reuse Architecture. Adaptive reuse projects often involve HBIM workflows.

• Tips from a Preservation Architect: Adaptive Reuse vs. Demolition & New Build. Decision framework that often references HBIM data.

• The Building Survey Process Explained. Building surveys feed data into HBIM models.

• 5 Methods for Documenting Existing Conditions. The methods used to capture data for HBIM.

• The Architectural Design Process Explained. Where HBIM fits within architectural workflows.

• A Guide to Understanding What Revit is Used for in Architecture. Revit is the most common BIM tool used for HBIM modeling.

• Building Survey Workflow Template in Layer. For documenting existing conditions on heritage projects.